Tag Archives: girls

“Teen Sports Injuries and Overuse: What is Causing it?”

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It seems as if there are many more sports injuries consisting of overusing of extremities in teens these days, and there are plenty of reasons why. We’ve all probably played sports in our childhood, and many of us still continue to do so today. What I want to know is why are they becoming more and more common. I figured, since I have an overuse injury, and this is pretty much the only “serious” one I’ve had, other teens must be getting them too.  Is it because our age group and younger has started the sport earlier? Is the game becoming more intense too soon? Or is it just because we’re still young and foolish as some might say. Those tending to be the adults, of course, but they are our coaches as well. Do they have anything to do with this?
I thought about this, and decided I’d dig a little deeper into the topic. Main injuries in our age group are in fact because of overuse and some that come up constantly are shin splints, Osgood-Schlatter disease (OSD), Sinding-Larsen-Johansson syndrome, Little League Elbow, Little League Shoulder, Jumper’s Knee, and Apophysitis of the hip just to name a few. For example, say you’re a baseball player. You play in the fall, train in the winter, play in the spring and throughout the summer as well. Correct me if I’m wrong, but that is a lot of baseball. I’m sure overuse is in the equation, as the sport can be played year round. However, there is controversy over what exactly is causing this overuse in teens and kids. One of the more recent headlines I have seen that really grabbed my attention was this. Two girls at the age of twelve and ten were running in many, many, endurance marathons. A little young, no? To me, yes, others? These two young athlete’s father was said to be pushy and hard on the girls. Yet, he does not force the girls to keep going, he gives them just the push they need. It surprises me that they haven’t gotten any injuries from what the article has said they run on a day to day basis. My point being, maybe some of these overuse injuries are not only caused by the repetition of the sport, but the parents as well. Whether you interpret the story of these girls as precisely as the article’s title “Too Fast, Too Soon?” like I do, is your choice. To me, these are the two main reasons that teens (or kids, in their case) are are getting injuries: the overuse and the parents/coaches who are behind the scenes.
~Lexie Gula

 

High Number of Concussions in Girls’ Soccer?

Fifteen-year-old Allison Kasacavage suffered from debilitating concussions while playing soccer.She is one of hundreds of girls across America who each year suffer concussions while playing soccer.Girls make up 48 percent of the US youth soccer league. Studies show girls are reporting nearly twice as many concussions as boys in the youth soccer division.The number of girls suffering concussions in soccer accounts for the second largest amount of all concussions reported by young athletes.

What is the cause of these concussions?

When heading, players attempt to use their head to direct the ball, often jumping with opposing players which  can lead to collisions between players, therefore resulting in bumped heads and strained necks. Dr.Cantu says that heading is the most dangerous move in soccer because of the collisions that may occur between players. It wasn’t until Allison had her first serious head injury that her parents realized what a big problem concussions can be in soccer.The big question now is: should heading be banned from girls’ soccer?

~ Sarah Zarra

Girls can too!

Many kids enjoy playing sports, whether for a team or not. But, some people don’t think that girls can play the same sports as boys. I think that girls can throw footballs as well as guys can and don’t need any special treatment. Girls have proven many times that they can do these things. We can hit a ball with a bat as well as a guy can. We can catch lacrosse balls, too. We’ve already proven those people wrong. So, why don’t they think we can?

I hope we can soon figure that out. But, I know and you SHOULD know that girls CAN TOO! So, if boy can do it, we can too! We’ve just got to believe in ourselves and try as hard as we can. Anyone can do it! Just remember one little thing, don’t give up and keep on trying!

~Georgianna Matcheson

The Super Bowl of Racing…With A Girl?

The 2012 Daytona 500 has a new racer, Danica Patrick.  She is only the third female driver to start in the 54 year history of the race. This is the first Daytona 500 Patrick has qualified to race in.  She has changed NASCAR, being in the spotlight as the only female driver since 1949.  Many of the male drivers are intimidated by her, but why?  All drivers race the same cars, have the same fuel, and the same skills.  The only advantage Danica has is that she is a little bit lighter then most of the men drivers. So, racers are all the same, it’s just she has a different gender.  The 2012 Daytona 500 should be an interesting and memorable race because Danica is changing the face of NASCAR.  She is a very tough racer, handles the race car like all of the men do, and can handle hard crashes.  For these reasons, there should be no problem with her being a NASCAR racer.  How would you feel racing against a girl?

If I was a NASCAR driver, I would commend Patrick for having the courage to race in a predominately male sport, especially because many drivers and fans do not think that she should compete.  I think that girls should be allowed to race and play any sport that they qualify for.  If she can handle it, go for it!  I have been in a similar situation as Danica’s opponents because I had to play a lacrosse game against a girl.  At first, I didn’t want to hit or check her but after she hit me, the game was on.  Eventually, I legally hit her just like she was a normal boy player.  I don’t care if there is a girl playing any sport, as long as she doesn’t have any special privileges because she’s a girl playing a boy sport.  I don’t think it’s a big deal having a girl racing in the Daytona 500 because I’m a tough competitor.  Are you?

~Peter Earley

What You Don’t Know…

Cheerleading. One of the most stereotyped sports in our country. The typical cheerleader is classified as a bully, mean girl, or popular girl.  Cheerleading is often not thought of as a sport as they just cheer for football, basketball, or the other “real sports”.  What you don’t know is that cheer-leading is one of the most dangerous college sports in our country.  There are other types of cheerleading too, such as All-star cheerleaders.  All-star cheerleading consist of hundreds of athletes, girls and boys, trusting there team and risking there lives for two minutes and 30 seconds on a spring floor.   During this time the athletes are running and throwing people in the air and doing complicated tumbling routines while thousands of people are watching and expecting you to land on your feet.

As you can see cheerleading requires strength, trust, and athletic ability. There are millions of push ups at practices if a flyer hits the floor,  laps to run, sore bodies ,broken bones, bruised ribs, scratches, scars all over from you falling,  catching someone, and not landing a tumbling pass.  Though cheerleading requires all these things most important is teamwork.  Respecting your teammates is a important aspect you need to succeed in this sport ,without it ; doing all this would not be possible.

-Avery York